Prevident 5000 Plus News

THURSDAY, June 11, 2015 – Many American children and teens aren't consuming enough liquids – especially water – and that lack of hydration could affect their physical and mental health, a new study suggests. The findings "highlight a potential health issue that has not been given a whole lot of attention in the past," study author Erica Kenney, a postdoctoral research fellow in social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in a Harvard news release. "Even though for most of these kids this is not an immediate, dramatic health threat, this is an issue that could really be reducing quality of life and well-being for many, many children and youth," she added. One expert in child health agreed. "Children – due to their slower acclimation to heat and greater surface area than adults – can be more susceptible to dehydration than adults," said Nancy ... Read more

-- Painful leg cramps can happen to anyone, but tend to be common among seniors. The AARP recommends: Gently stretch and flex the leg to ease a cramp. Ask your doctor if a medication, such as a statin or diuretic, could be causing your leg cramps. Make sure your electrolyte levels are normal. Below-normal levels of potassium, magnesium or calcium could trigger leg cramps. Drink plenty of fluids. Make sure the covers aren't too tight on your bed. Choose shoes with proper arch support. Read more

MONDAY, April 27, 2015 – The U.S. government has decreased its recommended level of fluoride in drinking water for the first time in a half-century, to prevent staining of tooth enamel caused by overexposure to fluoride. The optimal fluoride level in drinking water to prevent tooth decay should be 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced Monday. The new level falls at the bottom end of the previously recommended fluoridation range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter, which was issued in 1962. Health experts recommended the change because Americans now have access to more sources of fluoride, including toothpaste and mouth rinses, than they did when municipal officials first began adding the mineral to water supplies across the United States, according to the HHS. As a result, more people are exposed to too much ... Read more

TUESDAY, May 6, 2014 – Primary care doctors should start playing a more prominent role in dental care for children, according to new recommendations from the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Specifically, the task force suggested Monday that primary care physicians prescribe oral fluoride supplementation, such as drops, tablets or lozenges, for children 6 months and older whose water supply doesn't have enough fluoride. "In addition, we are recommending that infants and children should have fluoride varnish applied to their teeth when baby teeth appear, and that primary care clinicians can do that," said task force chairman Dr. Michael LeFevre. "That should be a part of routine well-child care," he added. LeFevre said that while some primary care doctors are already doing that, most of them aren't. "It's not something most parents would expect from a well-child visit, ... Read more

TUESDAY, Feb. 11, 2014 – Children should begin using toothpaste with fluoride as soon as they get their first tooth, according to updated American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines. To help prevent cavities, parents should use a smear (an amount about the size of a grain of rice) of fluoride toothpaste for children younger than 3 years old and a pea-sized dab for those aged 3 to 6, the association recommends. Previous guidelines recommended using water to brush the teeth of children younger than age 2 and brushing the teeth of children aged 2 to 6 with a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste. "For half a century, the ADA has recommended that patients use fluoride toothpaste to prevent cavities, and a review of scientific research shows that this holds true for all ages," Dr. Edmond Truelove, chairman of the ADA's Council on Scientific Affairs, said in an association news release. ... Read more

FRIDAY, Nov. 1 – Applying prescription-strength fluoride directly to the teeth can benefit patients at increased risk for cavities, a new expert panel concludes. This fluoride can be applied by patients at home or by a dentist in the office, said the new evidence-based clinical recommendations from the American Dental Association. "Topical fluoride therapy is the use of fluorides in tooth pastes, gels or varnishes that come in contact with the tooth surfaces in the mouth," explained one expert, Dr. Ronald Burakoff, chairman of the department of dental medicine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, N.Y. "These therapies can either be professionally applied in higher concentrations or used at home in lower concentrations," said Burakoff, who was not on the ADA panel. In its report, appearing in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association, the ... Read more

FRIDAY, Jan. 7 – U.S. government officials said Friday that the amount of fluoride in the nation's drinking water should now be set at the lowest recommended level. Although fluoride is a significant help in preventing cavities and tooth decay, too much of it can cause unattractive spotting on children's teeth. About two out of five teens have white spots and streaks on their teeth due to too much fluoride, according to a recent government study. To prevent this problem, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are recommending that the fluoride level in drinking water be set at 0.7 milligrams per liter of water, replacing the current recommended range of 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams. "One of water fluoridation's biggest advantages is that it benefits all residents of a community – at home, work, school, or play," HHS Assistant Secretary ... Read more